These recipes include fajitas, refried beans, plenty of nachos, and more—just don't skimp on the cheese for it to be true Tex-Mex.

Though the line between Mexican and Tex-Mex cooking is becoming more and more blurred, you can usually count on your food being "Tex-Mex" if it's got a lot of beef, cheese, and cumin. Emphasis on the cheese. Fajitas, enchiladas, nachos, even waffles, the list goes on and on ... but here are 27 of our favorites.

The signature dish at Matt’s El Rancho in Austin, Texas, named after former Texas land commissioner Bob Armstrong, who one day asked them to make him “something different.” What resulted was a now-legendary layered dip of taco meat, queso, guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo. Important: Don't used aged or extra-sharp cheddar, which is drier and doesn't melt smoothly.

This recipe makes just enough salsa verde to coat one bag of chips, but it's so tasty and versatile that we always make a double batch. If you can, choose a heftier chip that will hold up when stirred into the sauce.

The mezcal and fish sauce in these fajitas make for a surprisingly good combination. You’ll get a smoky, earthy flavor from the mezcal, while the fish sauce adds a little funk and saltiness. If you prefer, use any kind of chopped up chicken or pork in place of the skirt steak.

At Minero, Chef Sean Brock uses Chihuahua cheese for this, which is a Mexican melting type, but it can be hard to find unless you have a Latin foods store nearby. If that’s the case, use Monterey Jack. Not the same, but still crazy good!